


Know Me

by bluejoseph



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Domestic Fluff, I wrote this in four hours, Josh makes pancakes, M/M, No band, Smut, Trench references, Tyler wears Josh's clothes, i still can't do tags, loving Josh, smart tyler
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-09
Updated: 2018-09-09
Packaged: 2019-07-10 09:55:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15946952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluejoseph/pseuds/bluejoseph
Summary: Josh knows Tyler, and Tyler knows Josh. Perhaps they know one another too well...





	1. Memorize

Morning arrives like a fog, thick and graceful and approaching so slowly that you can hardly notice it until it's arrived. It slinks like a wild animal, but with no pain or malice; just smooth, measured strides just barely concealed from vision.

The first thing Josh sees that morning is white linen sheets. It must be early because there's only a tiny bit of sunlight peeking warily through the gap in the curtains. Josh doesn't know the specific time; he's never had an alarm clock, always just checks his phone when he needs to know the hour. Right now, the general time of day is the second thing that Josh sees.

The third thing he sees is the love of his life laying in bed next to him, arms wrapped around his pillow and face smashed right into the center of it; Tyler's always been one to cling to something in his sleep, whether it's the pillow or the side of the bed or his lover. 

It dawns on Josh slowly that both he and Tyler are naked, and vaguely he recalls them having sex the previous night. A slight smile crosses his face, and he shifts in bed, resting his chin on his pillow with his arms folded neatly in front of him. 

It's still early, obviously, and Josh should go back to sleep, but he admires Tyler instead: his close-cropped hair, the curve of his back, his smooth shoulders. Josh has freckles dumped all over his shoulders, and he hates them. Tyler's shoulders are smooth and clear, a warm honeyed tan like the rest of his skin. 

Josh gave up trying to describe Tyler with words like 'beautiful' and 'handsome' a long time ago because none of them were quite enough. When Tyler gets dressed for work in the morning, and he turns to Josh—who's always still in bed, since he doesn't have to get up for another two hours—and asks him how he looks, Josh always says that he looks like Tyler. This would annoy some people, seem as though Josh were avoiding the question, but Tyler knows what he means.

There's this theory that Tyler has—Tyler has dozens of theories—that everyone is different in their heads, and that as a species, humans can't ever really know one another. Words, pictures, colors, thoughts are different for everyone, regardless of who you are, like dialects, and you can never know any other dialect other than your own. “But,” Tyler always says, smiling up at the sky, “we can still think in similar languages, like Mexican-Spanish and Spain-Spanish; it's different but similar. You speak my language, Josh,” Tyler says then, and grasps Josh's hand like he always does. “You know me better than anyone but myself.”

Josh agrees with this theory wholeheartedly, has believed in it for as long as he realized he was an individual, although he never can explain it as well as Tyler can. Still, he knows what Tyler means. He knows Tyler; he does.

And Tyler knows Josh, too. He knows the little strange things about him, and he allows for them smoothly. So maybe Josh doesn't have a way with words like Tyler does; so what? He still understands him. It works.

Several years ago, just after Josh moved into his own apartment and started thinking seriously about having a life partner, he made a little vow to himself to give them his all, to learn all he could about them in the pursuit of their happiness. Memorizing this person, Josh knew at the time, was crucial somewhere in his head.

It's still crucial to him now, especially because Josh is certain he's found that person. The best thing is, Tyler understands it. When Josh asks him seemingly random questions about his favorite flowers and the type of weather he likes best, Tyler understands the memorizing, and he answers honestly. Tyler's always honest to Josh, in every word he speaks. He speaks his mind at all times, and while most people would find that annoying, Josh does not. He loves the honesty, the purity of just sharing it all. 

There's something comforting about it. Josh knows when he asks Tyler a question, he's getting an honest answer. When Tyler says he doesn't mind the memorizing, Josh knows he means it. 

Memorizing the personality is the easiest. It's easy to memorize little facts, at least for Josh: how Tyler's a dog person more than a cat person, how he hates the taste of sour foods, and how he used to play soccer but quit when he was thirteen. 

It's the body that's the hardest to memorize. Or, rather, it's not hard, it just takes time, just like it takes time to memorize the feeling of your specific driveway under your feet, and the smell of your parents' closet in your childhood home. 

Josh loves Tyler, and he wants to memorize every little thing about him, but it's a process. There's so much of Tyler's body to learn, and he's only got about thirty percent or so engraved into his head. 

Tyler doesn't mind this one bit, though. He's honest about it, as he is with all things, and it brings Josh a sense of relief. He does his best to be honest in return, but some things he can't share. Some things, he can't tell Tyler about, at least not yet.

There's a ring.

Josh got it almost two weeks ago exactly, at a pawn shop downtown. It's nothing fancy, probably not your typical engagement ring—it's a thin gold band with a small but gleaming ruby gem inlaid in the center. They had other rings, but Josh picked this one because he knows rubies are Tyler's favorite. 

Considering he was planning to propose to the love of his life, Josh should have had a plan for the proposal itself, but he didn't. He didn't have a plan for where to hide it, either, which is why he wrapped it in a tiny bit of tissue paper and stuffed it into the pocket of one of his jackets in the back of the bedroom closet. Tyler does borrow Josh's jackets sometimes, but this one is a little big for him and he's never taken it before, so Josh prays he won't now. 

He still doesn't know how he's going to pop the question, and he doesn't know if they're getting married in a chapel or at city hall. Still, he knows this is right. Being with Tyler could never be anything else.

When Tyler finally stirs, Josh feels guilt race through him, which is silly. He's not cheating on Tyler, definitely not; he's just keeping this secret so he can surprise him, once he figures out how to do it. They're just normally so open with one another about things that it feels like a crime, almost.

Josh only watches as Tyler shifts onto his side to face him, blearily opening his eyes as a warm smile spreads across his face. “'Morning,” he whispers in a voice husky from sleep.

“'Morning,” Josh whispers in response, unable to keep a smile off his face.

Sluggishly, Tyler flops onto his back, lifting an arm to make room for Josh. “C'mere,” he says encouragingly, and Josh complies, crawling closer to Tyler to lay in the crook of his arm with his head in Tyler's neck.

He's memorized Tyler's neck well, mostly with his mouth. He sighs a little as he moves up a bit to press his lips to Tyler's smooth jawline, one of his favorite features. 

Tyler shudders a little, and he moves a hand to tangle his fingers in his lover's hair. It's so early, and Josh is tired, but Tyler wants to have sex, and Josh doesn't mind giving him that, just to see him curl his fingers into the sheets and whine in the back of his throat. 

He doesn't mind at all.


	2. Theorize

Today is Sunday, and that means that Tyler has the day off. He's an early bird, though, so he wakes up with the sun regardless of this fact. Josh, the man he loves, is awake, too, and Tyler is practically high on the fact that Josh doesn't have to work today, either. They have the whole day to themselves.

Sundays are always like this. They wake, they do things together—eat, doze, watch netflix—but they never leave the house. Sundays are stay-at-home days, always. Naturally, it's Tyler's favorite day of the week.

They have sex. Tyler has to admit, there's something about Josh fucking him into the mattress so slowly and sweetly like this that makes his heart want to implode. He manages to stutter this to Josh before finishing, while his lover hums in agreement. 

Afterward, they just lay in bed for a while, half asleep. Josh gets up after about an hour, draping the covers over his boyfriend again and pressing a brief kiss to the side of his head. “I'm gonna shower, then I'll make breakfast, okay?”

“I don't deserve you,” Tyler mumbles, blinking gratefully up at him.

This makes Josh grin, and he grabs some clothes before going into the bathroom.

Tyler tells himself he's going to get up, but he drifts off after only a few minutes. He dreams about a whole flock of vultures in the tree out front of the apartment building. The vultures talk to him in words that make sense while you're asleep but turn into nonsense when you wake. In the dream, Tyler finds the vultures intelligent rather than unusual, and he drags Josh out front to lay together under the tree with him and listen to them jabber above their heads.

When Tyler wakes again, he can't hear the shower running anymore, but he can hear the sound of movement in the kitchen; Josh must be making breakfast. Tyler drowsily manages to get out of bed and jump in the shower.

He normally takes a long time in the shower, going over his thoughts. Tyler has a lot of thoughts, most of them so strange and elaborate that he only shares them with Josh. Josh is a good listener, though, and he's always patient as Tyler goes on ramble after ramble over some theory or other.

Most of Tyler's theories are about the universe—how he thinks it works, why it exists, what it has done and what it will do. While he was still in school, he used to write whole papers on the subject and try to turn them in for extra credit. His teachers usually ignored these pages and pages, though, and wouldn't let his grade improve much, if any, from them. 

Truthfully, Tyler hated sharing his thoughts until he met Josh. Josh isn't like anyone else. He listens, and asks questions, and accepts what Tyler says without needing physical evidence. He even shares some theories and thoughts of his own. 

Josh's thoughts are fascinating, in Tyler's eyes. He devours them like a wolf devours sheep.

Tyler wants to linger in the shower and think about his dream, maybe dissect it to see if it has meaning, but this is a Sunday, and he wants to spend as much time as he can with Josh. He rushes through washing his hair, his body, lathering and rinsing before getting out.

“Pancakes should be done in a few minutes,” he hears Josh call from the kitchen. So that's what that divine smell is.

Tyler didn't lay out something to wear like he usually does, so he just digs around and grabs whatever's available: a white t-shirt, boxers, and a pair of Josh's jeans. He slips his feet into his slippers, deciding not to bother with regular shoes or socks today. 

Turning to the closet, Tyler goes through the jackets and sweatshirts, looking for something warm. He really needs to do a load of laundry; most of the stuff he usually borrows from Josh is in the basket in the bathroom. He's about to go see if there's anything there that can be worn again when he sees an olive green jacket in the very back of the closet that he hadn't noticed before. He slips his arms into the sleeves and stands in front of the full-length mirror on the inside of the door—it's big, but it'll do.

Tyler stuffs his hands into the pockets and finds something in the left one. It feels like a receipt, but when he pulls it out, he finds that it's actually a bit of crumpled white tissue paper. He almost tosses it, but it feels like there's something wrapped in it. Pulling at the paper, Tyler tears it open to reveal the small object.

It's a ring.

He almost drops it out of shock but manages to snatch it again before it hits the ground. Hands shaking, he sinks to his knees as he stares at the item in his hands. It's a ring with a gold band and a small ruby gem in the middle. 

Most would see this and think nothing unusual of it, but Tyler sees it for what it is. Josh knows how much he loves rubies, and this ring looks like it's been recently cleaned, so it can't have been in the pocket long. 

Josh has been acting strange, too, Tyler realizes as the pieces fall into place. He was late coming home from work the other night, and Josh is never late. He keeps staring at Tyler, too, more than usual, with this distant look in his eyes. When Tyler asks him what he's thinking about, Josh always says “whatever you're thinking about” and drops it. 

He got this ring for Tyler, and Tyler knows it. He knows Josh; he knows him.

Swallowing, Tyler stares at the ring in his hand. Josh is planning to ask Tyler to marry him. He's going to propose, he loves Tyler enough to want to be with him for the rest of his life. 

“Breakfast!” comes the shout from the kitchen, and he jumps, nearly dropping the ring again. 

“Coming!” Tyler shouts in response. He quickly shoves the ring back into the same pocket he found it and looks in the mirror, wiping the stray tear from his face. Deeming himself normal-looking enough, he heads out into the kitchen to eat.

Tyler's hands are shoved deep in his pockets, and one is clutching the ring like his life depends on it.


	3. Known

Josh is still tired as he puts the last pancake onto the stack. Normally they don't eat like this, but it's Sunday, and Josh wants to treat Tyler today, more so than usual. He doesn't know why.

Okay, he does know. It's the guilt from the secret he's keeping. He has to ask Tyler to marry him soon, or he's going to go crazy.

Speak of the devil; Josh hears Tyler slowly come into the kitchen. “Hey, how was your shower?” Josh asks as he puts the pan into the sink, turning. His heart stops when he realizes that Tyler is wearing his coat. Not just his coat, the coat, the coat that's holding the ring he tried and apparently failed to hide.

It must be evident on his face because Tyler's face has gone soft. Eyes wide, almost fearful, he pulls his hand out of his pocket and carefully sets the ring on the counter.

“I found this in the pocket,” Tyler says quietly. He looks guilty, and Josh wants to reassure him. It's not his fault he found the ring. Honesty is the first thing Tyler is, how could he not say anything about it? And he knows; Josh is sure of it. Tyler knows what this ring means to the both of them.

Feeling like he's been caught in the act, Josh smiles almost sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. “So...I guess you caught me, huh?”

“You want to marry me?” Tyler whispers like he can't believe it. There are tears in the corners of his eyes. 

“Hey.” Josh moves around the counter, takes Tyler's hands in his. “Of course I do. You're everything to me.” He kisses his lover's left hand, then his right, and laughs a little. “Of course I do, Tyler. I've never met anyone like you. You get me, you know? You know me.”

“I'm sorry I ruined it,” Tyler says, but there's a hint of a smile on his face.

“I didn't actually have a plan, anyway,” Josh admits. “I knew I wanted to marry you but didn't know how to ask. I guess now's a good a time as any.” It's possibly the most cliché thing Josh has ever done in his life, but he takes the ring from Tyler and gets down on one knee. “Tyler Robert Joseph, will you marry me?”

Tyler laughs, a clear, alive sound and Josh feels relieved. “Yes. Yes, Josh, I will, you idiot. Of course, I'll marry you.”

Josh slides the ring on Tyler's finger and gets to his feet. “I was so nervous that you would say no,” he confesses, giggling out of pure giddiness.

A grin lighting up his face, Tyler grasps Josh's hand tightly. “Baby, you know I can't say no to you.”

And, this is true, because Tyler knows Josh, and Josh knows Tyler. 

They just do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this entire thing in about four hours.


End file.
